According to recent reports, Chinese aircraft manufacturers are reevaluating the feasibility of using Russia’s PD-14 engine for their COMAC C919 narrow-body aircraft project. Several Western media agencies have cited sources that suggest this possibility.
The renewed level of interest is taking place in the context of President Donald Trump’s intention to ban the export of CFM LEAP-1C engines to China. The C919 is presently powered by these engines, which are a joint product of the US-based General Electric and France-based Safran. CFM is headquartered in the United States. Furthermore, China is believed to be concerned that future sanctions may also target other critical components, such as avionics supplied by US manufacturers. COMAC is already under the sanction list of the US.
During the development of the C919, the Trump administration alleged that China was analyzing American systems and components for reverse engineering in an effort to steal technologies and intellectual property. As early as the first term of Trump, the United States considered suspending LEAP-1C engine deliveries to China due to these concerns.
As US officials perceived the C919 project as a component of China’s overarching strategy to control the global civil aviation market and challenge the duopoly of Airbus and Boeing, tensions intensified. In the middle of these disputes, Russian media reported that China was interested in utilizing the PD-14 engine. The negotiations between Russian and Chinese delegations were initiated in 2019. Nevertheless, Russian authorities did not provide any additional commentary following the bilateral discussions that took place in 2020.
In January 2021, Trump prohibited US investments in COMAC and included the company in a list of entities purportedly under the control of the Chinese military. The United States asserted that China could potentially employ CFM engines to develop military technologies, a course of action that would be in direct opposition to American interests.
The C919 with LEAP-1C engines was given type certification by China’s Civil Aviation Administration (CAAC) in September 2022, despite the obstacles it faced. This certification signified the aircraft’s readiness for market deployment. It is highly unlikely that substantial structural modifications would be made to accommodate the PD-14, as the design has been finalized.
COMAC has secured over 1,200 agreements, including over 600 firm orders, for the C919 as of 2024. Nevertheless, the civil aviation sector of China has been beset by uncertainties as a result of US actions.
Russian aviation specialists are of the opinion that the use of the PD-14 for the C919 is unlikely in the near term, despite the fact that China is currently investigating all available options to mitigate risks.
International collaboration is made difficult by sanctions on Russia’s aviation sector.
The PD-14 is manufactured at the Perm Engines facility in Russia, which is currently occupied with the production of the MC-21 airliner for domestic consumption. Consequently, the facility is unable to meet the immediate demand for the PD-14 in China.
The Aero Engine Corporation of China (AECC) has been developing the CJ-1000 engine since 2009, with certification anticipated in 2025. Integration with the C919 has already commenced, and flight tests are currently ongoing using a Y-20 testbed.
France has expressed its dissatisfaction with China’s CJ-1000 program, alleging that certain components bear a striking resemblance to those of the LEAP-1C engine. Nevertheless, no evidence has been presented to support these assertions.
The use of the Russian engine for the C919 appears to be exceedingly unlikely, given the advanced stage of the CJ-1000 project, its inclusion in China’s list of strategic technological initiatives, and the production constraints of Russia’s PD-14. Rather, China is focusing on its domestic engine to address its aviation requirements and mitigate external pressures.
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